Discover the Best Travel Hacks to Borneo for 2018

05

November, 2017

Borneo Tour Packages

Who doesn’t love to travel? We all love to travel and we crave for the adventure to explore new places in the world. It is in our nature to travel. However, we are looking forward to traveling with less money spent, not overpack, and every trip in Borneo is running smoothly. So, to make our travel to Borneo easier by 2018, here are some of the travel hacks that I would like to share, which is very useful especially to those who plan to travel to Borneo in 2018.

1) Use incognito window or clear cache/ cookies when online booking

This is my personal experience, I was told that if we book our flight ticket online, the travel sites could track our visits and increase the pricing rate! Any booking sites will often use cookies to provide users a more personalized experience. So, if a user searches multiple times for a certain flight, the price rate will be higher than before. Unbelievable but it’s true. Hence, private browsing or clearing cache/cookies in the browser could save us some money to purchase flights or hotels at the best price. This has saved me about MYR 80 when I was purchasing my flight ticket to Kuching last June.

2) Don’t forget to inform your preferred bank before travel

Don’t forget to inform your bank to unlock the card for international transactions

Whenever we travel, we always thought about travel with safety. However, we tend to forget one small but crucial step to do before travel abroad, which is to notify our bank. Imagine if we forget to notify our bank before traveling to Borneo, the bank will immediately block the debit/credit card and shut our account when they detect transactions in an unfamiliar location. Oh, bummer! This is because the bank is actually protecting us from identity theft. So, it is always a good idea to inform our bank before traveling to Borneo and prevent from getting a headache if we find out our cards are canceled or blocked.

3) Travel Insurance is a MUST!

CFill in the Travel Insurance application form before travel to Borneo

Before traveling, it is recommended to get travel insurance. Travel insurance is an essential part for any travel plans, as it helps to ensure our safety, well-being, and financial security from any unforeseen event happening before depart or while away from home. Apart from that, getting travel insurance will provide us some peace of mind for it can let us reimbursed for any losses and expenses, especially to cover our delayed, stolen, lost or damaged luggage.

4) Bring own water bottle

Bring own water bottle for traveling

Keep the water bottle empty and put into a carry-on backpack, fill the water into the bottle after passing through a security check. Having done this can eventually help us to save some money rather than buying bottled water at the airport vendors, which isn’t cheap. This is a lesson that I have to keep in mind while traveling internationally, as I always purchase bottled water at the airport vendor and it really cost loads (Oh snap!). Some say we can also bring the water bottle and pass through the airport security if we freeze it! Good tips, but maybe we can try it soon (hahaha…) Moreover, bringing our own water bottle not only saves the environment, but it also saves us from spending money over buying mineral water and keeps us hydrated at all times.

5) Use Google Maps to look for interesting places in Borneo

While traveling in Kuching, Sarawak Borneo, Google Maps was my lifesaver to go around the area. Just download the Google Maps application to mobile phone and it can show some of the destinations for food, bars or shopping malls. Apart from that, I have read in one article that we can use Google Maps offline in order to reach any specific destination that we want. We only need to download the destination in Google Maps, we can simply use it to navigate us to the destination, without using any internet access. How cool is that? This can help us to save from spending extra charges on mobile data and data roaming while traveling in Borneo!

6) Ask locals while traveling in Borneo

Get to know and spend time with Borneo locals

No matter if we are on a short break or a long trip in Borneo, there’s no better way of getting to know Borneo than talking to the locals. Locals may know some of the off-the-beaten-places in Borneo, the do’s and don’ts, great places to eat, and more. In a nutshell, the locals are the best tour guide anyone could ask for! As a Sabahan, I will not know any best places to go in Sarawak Borneo. Hence, asking the locals during my Kuching trip really helped me a lot to know some of the hotspot places in Kuching. Apart from getting to know some of the places in Borneo, we can also create friendship through talking with locals. So, don’t get shy and start to mingle!

7) Look for some local activities in Borneo

A glimpse of tamu or local market view in Donggongon

There is no better way to get the feel of Borneo than taking public transportation. Skip the flight, let’s get on the bus or a van to go Sandakan from Kota Kinabalu city. This is a perfect opportunity to get a glimpse into the life of the locals, as well as appreciate the scenic view along the way. An opportunity to experience local’s daily routine is not something that is commonly offered to any tourists. Hence, a tour to the “tamu” or local market is the best way for us to mingle around with the locals and a perfect chance to scoop some special items that can serve as a memento or souvenir in our Borneo travel.

8) Bring Power Bank/ Portable Charger while traveling in Borneo

Bring powerbank to charge your phone while traveling in Borneo

Smartphones have quickly replaced the need for several gadgets and most people ( including us) would always have a phone attached to our hand. Having a smartphone could help us a lot, especially when we are travelling. A smartphone can be a backup camera, if we forget to bring our camera, to capture the moments in our Borneo travel. Apart from that, it can provide us the travel information or places of interest in Borneo too. Unfortunately, using smartphone most of the time could consume a lot of battery. A battery running flat while traveling is not fun which we all can probably relate to, especially when spending a long time on a train/plane/bus/car and we might not have any access to a power outlet point to recharge our phones. Therefore, bring a power bank / portable charger while travel in Borneo, so it can give our phone extra juice to last the day.

Can you see the four yellow-stripes on the shoes, which made it similar to Adidas brand

Although the name itself seems weird to all of us, these shoes are the best when going for trekking expedition in Borneo Jungle. It is made in Malaysia and has been used by generations of locals, especially among rubber tappers and estate workers. Apart from that, rubber shoes or Adidas Kampung are 100% made out of rubber, it is cheap, easy to carry, fully water-resistant and easy to dry, making it even more useful when using it to venture into Borneo Jungle that is constantly wet and humid. Wearing rubber shoes/ Adidas Kampung could provide us a good grip for trekking, its thin soles also give us a good reflexology to the feet especially trekking on a muddy terrain, river crossing or mountain climbing. Therefore, to avoid any unexpected injury, it is best to wear the rubber shoes/ Adidas Kampung for any trekking expedition in Borneo Jungle.

10) Bring a neck pillow or inflatable pillow for Borneo travel

Sleeping comfortably with neck pillow during flight

Going for a long-haul flight or long bus ride will make us feel uncomfortable in our trip, especially when we are trying to get a good rest throughout the journey. The uncomfortable seats, cramped conditions, unyielding hard armrest, and head banging against the window shade, eventually leads to a restless situation (Not forgetting, a sore and stiff neck) in our trip. Hence, bring a neck pillow or an inflatable pillow. At first, I admit bringing a neck pillow for a trip can be troublesome, because it took some space in my backpack and feeling dorky ( hahaha…!), but it actually helped me a lot to feel comfortable on a long-haul flight. An alternative to neck pillow would be the inflatable pillow, where we can just easily put it inside the backpack when not in use. I can say that neck pillow or inflatable pillow is the perfect travel companion to any travelers. Not only can it make us feel comfortable in our plane flight or bus trip, it can be as our pillow when camping in Borneo, in a hostel dorm that doesn’t have pillows, or airport floor.

11) Ziplock Bags

Keep your things dry in ziplock bags

Experience the exotic beach getaway in Borneo can be remarkable fun, but keeping the important things, such as camera, passports, or extra clothes dry would be very hard. Hence, use ziplock bags. It is truly a lifesaver when going for a beach getaway in Borneo. Apart from that, ziplock bags could help us to save an amount of packing space and keeping any liquids from leaking all over to our other belongings. In addition, using ziplock bags to keep your gadgets or miscellaneous items dry is the cheapest way!

Destination scenery in Borneo that make us feel in New Zealand

31

October, 2017

Borneo Tour Packages

Travelling to Borneo is a wonderful destination for travelers around the globe. Being the world’s third largest island (behind Greenland and New Guinea) straddles at the equatorial and dominated by lush rainforest. It is not a surprise that Borneo Island is the haven for outdoor adventure enthusiasts and nature lovers. In addition, Borneo Island does not entirely belong to one nation, it is the only island in the world that are divided between three countries, such as Malaysian Borneo (Sabah and Sarawak), Brunei, and Indonesia.

Most of us know that Borneo Island offers breathtaking scenery of nature, as well as a chance to witness rare flora and fauna. However, we never know that there are places in Borneo, especially Malaysian Borneo, that have some amazing destinations scenery that makes us feel like in New Zealand! Don’t believe it? Check out the photos below that I’ve compiled and tell me if looking at those pictures does not trigger the feeling as though you’re in New Zealand (Peter Jackson, Sabah is always free to shoot Lord of The Rings!).

Desa Cattle Dairy Farm Vs Mount Taranaki/Egmont

Desa Cattle Dairy Farm is known to every local as the little “New Zealand” of Sabah Borneo. With the picturesque view of Mount Kinabalu and the cows eating the green grass pastures, not forgetting the cooling climate there, it is not a wonder that being in the dairy farm will make you feel like you’re in Mount Taranaki/Egmont.

Did You Know?

Mount Taranaki is also a resemblance to Mount Fuji, therefore making it as one of the film destination for the movie The Last Samurai. Wondering if Sabah Borneo will soon become one of the film destination in the future? Hmm…We sure do hope so!

Kelambu Beach Vs Split Apple Rock Beach

One of the unique features of Kelambu Beach is a tombolo, which means a strip of land connecting the mainland to the island. Kelambu Beach is located in Kudat, the northern part of Sabah Borneo. In addition, searching for Kelambu Beach is like searching for a needle in a haystack! Kelambu Beach is one of the unspoiled beaches in Sabah Borneo and the ultimate place for beach lovers. With the clear blue sea and white sand, the scenery in Kelambu Beach somehow makes one feel like they’re at the Split Rock Apple Beach in New Zealand.

Check out these awe-inspiring photos and also a video below that will make you book a trip to Kudat, Sabah Borneo!

Mulu Pinnacles Vs Putangirua Pinnacles

In Sarawak Borneo, Mount Api (Api means fire) is one of the attractions in Gunung Mulu National Park due to its striking limestone karst formations or “pinnacles”. In addition, the unique formation somehow resembles those pinnacles at the Putangirua Pinnacles in New Zealand. Apart from that, both offers challenging yet fun trekking in order to reach to the pinnacles. The Putangirua Pinnacles was once a film destination for one of J.R.R. Tolkien’s famous fantasy novel, which is The Lord of The Rings.

Melangkap River vs Tongarino River

Melangkap River, which is located in Kota Belud, is unknown to many travelers and even to some locals too! It is actually a perfect place to experience recreational and camping outdoors with your family/ friends/ travel buddies. While, Tongariro River is a place for whitewater rafting activities, walking, and bushwalking, famous for trout fishing too! It is impossible to say that these two pictures do not have similarity. This is due to the reason that both show the resemblances of an exquisite clear river and breathtaking scenery, making it hard to spot the differences.

Bako National Park ( Photo Source: amrufm) vs Piha Beach

Looking at the unique rock formations in Bako National Park, it really feels like we’re at Piha Beach in New Zealand! Both places offer some good sandy beaches for beach lovers as well as hiking activities in several jungle trails. Apart from that, taking a good stroll along the beach provides a great chance to witness the dramatic sunset view from both places.

Batu Luang Beach ( Photo Source: Adam Lai) vs Cathedral Cove Beach

Batu means rock in Malay language and it is a bell-shaped rock that is stunning standing high and mighty at the beach. Unknown to many, Batu Luang beach retains its nature’s beauty and a perfect location for many photographers. The first time I saw a few photos of Batu Luang in google images, I can’t believe it was actually located in Kuala Penyu, Sabah Borneo! Then, it strikes me again that the scenery in Batu Luang is also quite familiar to Cathedral Cove in New Zealand, especially the part where they shoot one of the movie scenes in Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.

After seeing the similarities to both Borneo and New Zealand, I can say that I’m really proud of being a Sabahan and having such beauty in my backyard! So next time, before thinking about flying out to New Zealand, why not just do a trip to Borneo to go to these photo-worthy places!

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Raise Your Glass to Sunset in Borneo!

12

September, 2017

The Beautiful Panoramic view of the Sunset Bar

When it comes to watching the sunset, Kota Kinabalu is one of the best places to experience it. If you happened to be in Kota Kinabalu, and if you’re looking for a good place to chill, lay back, enjoy the breeze and have a couple of drinks with your friends and family, why not stop by at the Shangri-La Sunset Bar in Tanjung Aru. It’ll be a completely different experience that you will get there if compared to any other places in Kota Kinabalu.

Yes, you can watch the sunset almost anywhere in Kota Kinabalu but why not do it the classy way at the Sunset bar. The setup of the place is quite unique too as it is in something like a small island that’ll give you that private island feel to it. The Sunset Bar is also a good place to take some good photos for your Instagram, facebook, and other social medias, so boys and gals whip out your phone get in angle and time to snap some good memorable photos.

Whip out that phone and get that Perfecto shot!

Bartender is ready to serve you your drinks

Amazing view of Sunset can be seen

Not only the Sunset Bar has a wide variety of drinks that they serve, but there are also a variety of mouth watering food for you to choose. From satay to burgers, and all sorts of tidbits for you to try, so let your appetite go wild and pick one or maybe two or three hihi. The highlights of the Sunset Bar is definitely the drinks that they serve there (apart from the Sunset of course). You can choose all sorts of cocktails and mocktails at the bar and they have a few signature drinks too. Indulge yourself with the Royal Mojito, Pepperita, or some of the Borneo-Inspired cocktails like the Lepa-Lepa and the Kota Kinabalu Fruit Punch.

Satisfy your thirst with some cold Cocktails and Fresh Fruit Punch!

A big grilled Beef Burger

Enjoy some super appetizing Satay together with that superb view of the Sunset

Chilling at the sofa facing the sea

The Sunset Bar can easily accommodate up to 100 person so don’t worry much about the space and they also provide a selections of seats for you to choose from. You can just chill down at the sofa facing the sea or just relax at the bar. The Sunset Bar offers two different happy hour time duration which is from 4-5pm and continuing on from 8-11pm. So more drinks anyone? hehe..-

Chilling at the sofa facing the sea

If you’re lucky they might also have some local performers for your entertainment. A little smooth and soft jazzy tunes won’t hurt right? It’ll add up to that relaxing vibe and experience. Enjoy the sunset with some cocktails and some relaxing music, now that’s first class!.-

That fantastic view of the Sunset only at the Sunset Bar! An experience that you must not miss in Kota Kinabalu

So now you know about the Shangri-La Sunset Bar, here’s what you have to do. Why don’t you grab some friends and family or maybe a date hehe… And hit the bar, order some drinks, some finger foods, and just chill. That’ll be great for you to de-stress yourself. –

Are you looking for leisure activities in your Sabah Borneo Holiday trip? Here are our Top 5 leisure activities in Sabah that you should do while traveling to Sabah Borneo.

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RELEASE THE TURTLES!

10

September, 2017

Baby turtle released into the sea!

I had the privilege of experiencing a very awakening moment just a few weeks ago. We headed down to Kudat, north of Kinabalu, and also home to the Tip of Borneo where the Sulu Sea meets South China Sea to be a part of a hundred Green Turtle Hatchlings being released into the wild.

It was organized by Kudat Turtle Conservation Society (KTCS), a small society with big dreams to help save and create awareness amongst local and tourist alike in regards to conserving and improving Sea Turtles population in Marine Parks at Kudat Area. At a glimpse, it all looked like a huge success done overnight, but as I got to talk to one of its Co-Founder, Mr. Roland Agansai, what seemed like a day’s work, is actually months and months of hard work preparation and determination on not giving.

Turtle Eggs

I say hard work and determination on not giving up is because most of us take these little creatures for granted. Sea Turtles used to be abundant in Sabah waters. When I was a little girl, my parents and I would always do road trips around Sabah, and they would be natives selling their workmanship or farming goods at the side of the roads. You’ll be able to encounter all sorts of local/exotic delicacies! They will be selling wild boar meat, deer meat, snake meat, live pigeons, dead bats, even turtle eggs! Back then, Sea Turtles were not endangered, and locals do eat its eggs for protein.

Nowadays, selling or even consuming these delicacies are not allowed and against the law because Sea Turtles are in the brink of survival currently, like many other wild animals. Back date to ten years ago, Adult sized Sea Turtles would come to the shores of Kudat Beaches to lay their eggs every night. Each night, you’ll be able to find 3-5 Sea Turtles laying their eggs. Each Sea Turtle would lay around 100 eggs on average. That’s around 500 eggs a night!! But that was ten years ago. Now, to get one Sea Turtle come to shore to lay its eggs in a month is considered as great work for KTCS and the Wildlife Wardens who watches over the beach lines every night.

Out of the hundred percent hatches, only ten percent will survive and have the chance to grow up to be an adult. It takes ten to fifty years after hatching to reach maturity (depending on what species), will they then be able to mate. Within that time, they will be able to mate every two to four years over the course of their adulthood. Female Sea Turtles will come ashore to lay their eggs, and they always return to the place where they were born. How cool is that knowing that those baby Green Turtles that was released recently has a ten percent chance of coming back to the same beach I stood just a few weeks ago. Ten percent, that’s one Sea Turtle returning after a decade at Sea.

Turtle Eggs

The reason why chances of them surviving in the wild is extremely and alarmingly low is because of humans;-

Destruction and degradation of their nesting and feeding grounds

Fisheries by-catch

Poaching of turtles and their eggs both by locals and offshore poachers

More spectators, local and visitors came to witness the released of the baby turtles to the sea

Go..GO..GO..free to the sea baby turtles

At such a low rate, it broke my heart learning that our future generations will not have a chance to even know what a Sea Turtle is unless they read it somewhere or saw a picture. But to see it in person, to view its majestic beauty with their own eyes… I doubt that can ever materialize for them if we do not do something about it.

As of now, KTCS welcomes more organizations and individuals to be part of their family and spread the love about Sea Turtles. These gentle giants, though with a sturdy shell, are very fragile creatures that need our help for a chance at surviving our ever growing era.

If you readers are interested in learning more on how you can help, do not hesitate to contact us or KTCS directly. You can read also our experience on Turtle Island Adventure in Sandakan Borneo too!

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Caving Adventure in Malaysian Borneo

08

September, 2017

Apart from going for a Wildlife and jungle trekking adventure in Malaysian Borneo, did you know that you can spend your Borneo trip by going for caving adventure? Malaysian Borneo offers some unique characteristics and stories of the caves for you to discover. Caving adventures are rated easy, intermediate, and a day tour expeditions. We can assure you that you won’t get bored to visit one of the caves in your Borneo trip!

Here’s a list of caves that you should be going for an adventure in Malaysian Borneo:

1) Fairy Cave, Bau, Sarawak Borneo

Fairy Cave took its name from the stalagmite structure that can be seen from the entrance. Fairy Cave was once a gold mining settlement of Bau, which was located about 40 km from Kuching, Sarawak.

Before reaching the entrance, get ready to exercise your feet as you will need to walk up a series of flight of stairs (about 4-storey high concrete staircase). When you go inside, you will be amazed to see the humongous size of the caves and the green moss inside it, due to the light entering the cave.

Fret not, when you enter the cave, you can manage without using a torch because it is slightly dark inside and you will be reaching into one place with a huge opening that allows the light to flood in. Unusual stalactites and stalagmites were formed over thousands of years ago.

Some said the entrance of the cave resembles like a Chinese deity, which made many Buddhist and Taoist coming there to burn joss sticks and pray for their future fortune and destiny before returning to the city. Fortunately, there is no admission to enter the cave and it is open daily from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

4-storey high staircase to reach the entrance of the cave

Light enter the cave and displays the green moss inside the cave

2) Wind Cave, Bau, Sarawak Borneo

Entrance of the Wind Cave

Easy walkway to reach the entrance

Wind Cave is named from the cooling breeze that blows continuously throughout the cave. It is located about 48 km away from Kuching City, and only about 25 minutes drive. Wind cave is considered as an easy access to reach from Kuching and it is also a popular destination for day trips, as well as picnic excursions.

Wind Cave is not much physically demanding compared to Fairy Cave because you can just walk along at the wooden walkways to access through the Wind Caves. You can see there are many swiftlets and bats inside the Wind Cave and also you can catch a glimpse of a subterranean stream, where you can relax and picnic beside it.

Note: Make sure to bring a torch as you will be experiencing caving into pitch black tunnels (to avoid bats disturbance).

Wind Cave is part of the Nature Reserve in Sarawak Borneo. Thus, there is a nominal fee that visitors need to pay prior to entering the cave and it is open daily from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.

River beside the cave

3) Deer Cave, Mulu, Sarawak Borneo

Deer Cave

Deer Cave is the largest and spectacular caves found in Borneo Island. It is home to millions of bats from various species. To reach the Deer Cave, you will need to go through a 3 km plank-walk which you can see the beauty of the Sarawak Borneo rainforest, jungle streams, and an ancient Penan tribe’s burial cave. The Deer Cave was named by the local (Penan tribe) because of few deer usually spotted in the cave for shelter. Using a torch is recommended to see the cave, examine the guano-covered-path and maybe to spot some interesting insects while walking the path. Going through the path, you will reach “Garden of Eden” ;- richer green vegetation grows there due to a hole in the cave roof that allows the light to enter.

Formation of Abraham Lincoln face near cave entrance

Apart from that, an interesting formation near the cave entrance which resembles the face of Abraham Lincoln.

Don’t miss out to visit Deer cave around 5-7pm and experience the bat exodus outside the cave.

Bats Exodus around 5-7pm outside the cave

4) Clearwater Cave, Mulu, Sarawak Borneo

Clearwater cave inside

Using Longboat to reach the cave

Cruising on a longboat to reach the Clearwater Cave is always a good kick start of your Borneo Caving Adventure trip. The Clearwater Cave is accessed by a boardwalk which is suspended from the limestone cliff. It is also home to some of the unique species of plant which can only be found in Mulu. After going through inside the cave, you can see there is actually a clear river flowing through the cave and it will make you want to jump in for a swim. If time permitted, you can have a nice lunch picnic break by the swimming area which is shaded by huge rainforest trees outside the cave!

Clearwater river outside the cave

Clearwater cave showing the green moss

5) Gomantong Cave, Kinabatangan, Sandakan, Sabah Borneo

Gomantong cave inside

The light coming shines from the hole in the cave

Unfortunately, in Sabah Borneo, there is only one cave that is known to many, which is the Gomantong Cave. It is the largest limestone outcrop in Kinabatangan area and it is a protected area under the Sabah Forestry Department. There are two primary chamber parts of the cave system, which are Simud Hitam (Black Cave) and Simud Putih (White Cave). In the White Cave is where there are more valuable bird nests found, while the Black Cave is the only small cave that can only cover about a 5-minute walk from the registration center. Don’t worry, there is a well-maintained boardwalk for visitors to have an easy access exploring Gomantong Caves. Despite it’s home to millions of bats, there are also a number of cockroaches living inside the cave’s guano deposits which made it somehow like in a scene from the movie of The Mummy!

After reading this, are you up for the challenge to go for Caving Adventures in Malaysian Borneo? Check out our Borneo Caving Adventures Tour or you can just contact us for a once in a lifetime Caving Adventure in Malaysian Borneo!

Want to know how to backpacking in Sabah Borneo in a budget? Check out our blog post entry, hope it can help you to give some ideas for your Borneo travel itinerary.

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Uncover the best of Kuching, Sarawak Borneo

05

September, 2017

Sarawak is the largest state in Malaysia and it is located on the Borneo island. Sarawak is a home for the natives tribe such as Iban, Dayak, Bidayuh, Melanau, Penan, Kedayan and Orang Ulu. Thus, making Sarawak a very multi-cultural and unique state in Malaysian Borneo. Iban, Melanau, Bidayuh, and Orang Ulu tribe are the major ethnic groups, which also include the Malay and Chinese.

The capital city of Sarawak is Kuching; the largest city in Borneo. Some locals called it their “Cat City” due to the name of “Kuching” means ‘cat’ in Malay Language – is literally due to miscommunication between Sir James Brooke, the first White Rajah, and a local man, which Sir James Brooke was asking the name of the city, but the local man answered “Kucing” because he thought Brooke was referring to a cat which happened to be passing by.

There are few places and attraction that anyone should visit in Kuching, Sarawak Borneo :

Stroll along the waterfront

Kuching Waterfront was the first place where James Brooke landed in Sarawak Borneo because it was used to be a docking area for villagers to cross the river via a small boat. Now, the Sarawak government made a lot of effort to reconstruct the waterfront and build it to make it more attractive for locals and visitors. Thus, Kuching Waterfront is the relaxing place for you to walk at the beautifully landscaped esplanade along the Sarawak River with some eateries and entertainment area. Apart from that, you can see some of the historical buildings, an observation tower and other sculptures in the area.

Drop by to Serikin Market

Serikin market is located at Kampung Serikin Jagoi, about an hour drive from Kuching city, which is close to the border between Sarawak and Indonesia, The Serikin market opens only during the weekend. Unlike other urban markets, the close proximity of this market makes the weekend affair special due to allowing any number of Indonesian trader to cross over with ease. You can easily find a lot of Indonesian traders operating there, selling all kinds of items such as decorative woodwork, colorful fabric, rattan handicrafts and many more. All the items are sold at a reasonable or cheap price!

A Visit to Cat Museum

Whether you are a cat lover or not, a visit to the cat museum is a MUST when you are in Kuching city. Here in Cat museum is the ultimate collection of cat memorabilia, you can even see Hello Kitty’s collection, Garfield, and more feline collections, such as old photos, articles, paintings, posters, toys, and uncountable figurines of cats! At the cat museum, you can also see the mummified Egyptian cat and the world’s rarest cat, Bornean Bay Cat (Felis Badia), which lives in the Borneo rainforest.

Explore the Bako National Park for trekking and wildlife sightings

Bako National Park is the oldest park since 1957 and it offers the perfect introduction to Sarawak Borneo rainforest and wildlife. Although it is only a small area to explore, Bako National Park is still an attractive place with its diverse ecosystems, from mangrove swamps to rocky cliffs, then to the rainforest and beautiful sandy beaches. It is almost guaranteed to see wildlife there such as Long-Tailed Macaque Monkeys, Silver-Leaf Monkeys, wild boar, Proboscis Monkeys, and more.

Go for caving adventure at the Fairy Cave

Fairy cave is located near gold-mining settlement at the town of Bau, which is only about 45 minutes away from the Kuching city. The fairy cave holds many local legends, some folks say the cave was used as hiding places for the Japanese soldiers to avoid persecution during the war. While some locals share the story about the cave that has magical fairies protecting the orphaned children living there. Hence, the name of it.

To reach the entrance of the cave, you will need to climb up a few flight of stairs to reach. Going into the Fairy cave is certainly eerie beautiful cave, it is fairly dark but you can manage to go without a torch. Moreover, Fairy Cave also is a popular spot for rock climbing activity, it has eight separate walls with over eighty climbs in a different level of difficulties.

Quench your hunger with Sarawak Laksa & Kolo Mee

Regardless where you came from, you won’t be disappointed in tasting Sarawak’s own Laksa and Kolo Mee. Sarawak Laksa is not as tangy as Penang Laksa but has a soup base made from a paste of sambal belacan and aromatics spices. While Kolo Mee is known for its springy noodles and topped with minced pork, minced beef or seafood. Tasting both of this food in your holiday to Kuching Sarawak Borneo will always be an oh-so-sinfully-tasty reminder Kuching city when you are back to your hometown. You can read our other blog post of the foods in Kuching that you should taste it out!

Participate a jungle festival in Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF)

A yearly event at the Sarawak Cultural Village in Santubong, 45-minutes drive from Kuching city. The Rainforest World Music Festival bringing all musicians from all around the globe to perform and celebrate this musical festival. This is the time where you can see performances and workshops by world music celebrities, as well as the concert at night. If you are a music lover, come over to the festival and enjoy the weekend of traditional ethnic music surrounded by Borneo rainforest. You can also go for a self-walk at the Sarawak Cultural Village to see the amazing architectural building of the traditional houses and the lifestyle of each tribe in Sarawak Borneo. Feel free to read our blog entry as we share our first experience of going to the Rainforest World Music Festival! Read also our Newbie guide to Rainforest World Music Festival 😉

Excited to go for an adventure in Sarawak Borneo? Book your tour now with us and our awesome sales team are happy to assist you! 🙂

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